Insignia
by Ririka and Redaura
Summary: 'Losers. The world is full of them.' Just one of Carter's moto's on life. But there are secretes that should never have been discovered, and after having to deal with a-suddenly-furry step-dad, why do more of them turn up? Along with Insignia assassins, w
1. Chapter 1

C a R t E r

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Losers. The world is full of them.

"High School will put you into therapy for decades." Carter Blake told herself aloud, loading books from her overflowing locker into her knapsack. It was seven thirty, and already she was trudging through the empty halls of Haley Hagins High School.

Why was she acting on the sudden impulse to pursue her academics with such determination? Parental problems of course, her mother was on her neurotic, You-will-study-until-you-drop rampage. Apparently, Carter wasn't living up to her high standards, not like perfect Perdi the super daughter.

Carter slammed her locker shut and leaned against it, fiddling with the loose string of her lilac camisole. Whatever she did it just didn't seem to be good enough. She kicked her locker violently, letting it know exactly how she felt about it. Where was the unconditional love? The motherly hugs? The sincere reassurances that no matter what she did her mother would still be proud of her? _It's all those corny movies Erika makes you watch, _the wicked little voice in her mind told her, _they're filling you with these ridiculous notions that will grind you into crap if you don't start getting smart. _Carter kicked her locker again before swooping down the hall.

She had just sharp turned the corner toward the girls bathroom when she heard a harsh male voice. "There's no point in denying it!"

"But we're just-,"A sweet honeyed voice began. Carter stopped dead in her tracks, about five feet in front of her stood Marcus Winchester, star quarterback of the Haley Hagins Hurricanes and the poster child for beefy moronic jockstraps everywhere. Pinned between the wall and Marcus's equally thick arms was Kelsey Mason, tall, blonde, slender, smart and the miss popularity of Waters Cove.

Marcus gave his girlfriend a big love pat, bouncing her off the wall. "Just friends!" Marcus said, mimicking Kelsey's tone. "Like I'm going to believe that." By now a trickle of students had started to fill the halls, all of whom eyed the couple in surprise before scurrying down the hall feigning ignorance.

Carter watched them go with a new found disgust, losers, the world was full of them. "Now maybe you should start telling me the truth," demanded Marcus. He placed a nice firm hand around Kelsey's wrist and wrenched her against him, she gave a tiny whine. _I don't need this! I really don't need this! _Carter told her self, heading toward the couple. She sighed, Kelsey was supposed to be smart! So what in the hell did she see in Marcus Winchester? _It's all about the body, it has to be. _Carter thought, _she really couldn't want his non-existent brain._

Coming to a halt beside Marcus and Kelsey, Carter faked a cough. Marcus seemed to be oblivious to her presence, either that or he was just plain ignoring her. Okay, since her subtle attempts at trying to interrupt were clearly a failure, she decided to just plunge in. "Uh, you're going to be late for class."

Marcus spun to face her whilst Kelsey gave her a pleading look. "What!" Marcus barked, his eyes full of annoyance.

"I said you're going to be late for class. "Carter repeated more firmly. The star quarterback seemed to consider this for a moment, it was taking him time to access the words.

"Who the hell are you? Some overeager hall monitor." Marcus snapped finally, he pushed Kelsey back against the wall and turned his full attention onto Carter.

Acid anger left a bitter taste on her tongue. "Yeah, that's me Susie High School. Now do you want me to report you to the principle?" Carter said, her voice laced with disdainful sarcasm. The scurrying student body's interest returned to the scene they had retreated from only moments earlier.

"Look babe, just get lost, this is a private conversation." Marcus replied, his jaw set in anger. His muscles beneath his letterman jacket bulging.

Carter rolled her eyes, someone should really tell the entire male population that babe was a famous pink pig from a movie, not a good endearment for any girl who was aware of that fact.. "Look Winchester, just let her go." She commanded, she was really tired of this macho egghead

"What are you? Deaf or just stupid?" Marcus demanded, hostility heavy in his tone, he grabbed her arm then. It was just the excuse Carter had been waiting for. Because if she had made the first move there was a chance that the big tough ass quarterback might actually admit that a girl beat him up. But since he touched her first all bets were off, it was self-defence plain and simple.

Without even thinking about it, Carter reached out grasped his hand and twisted it anti clockwise. "What the hell?" Marcus yelped going to one knee, this move was one of the first Carter's navy seal father had taught her for persuading possible muggers that she was not worth the trouble.

Marcus though, was not a mugger. He was just some stupid egotistical moron who thought he could victimise anyone and everyone because he was a jumped up, idolised little rich boy. Stumbling backward from the pain, Carter was forced to either release Marcus or break his arm. She dropped his arm so that he hit the floor, butt first.

Marcus however, being the dumb male that he was lunged from his not so comfortable seat on the cold tile floor to grab her. "Oh you're going to pay for that!" He roared, Carter sidestepped his clumsy grapple. Marcus swung around, this time he charged her with his fists at the ready. As Carter processed the easiest way to absolve this situation without further commotion, she was left to wonder what had pissed Marcus off so much that he would risk an open brawl in the halls.

Thinking of other things, naturally, had been a mistake. That millisecond she spared to consider the reason for his evident fury was all he needed to ram his hefty shoulder into her side, slamming her against the wall. The force of the blow made her jaw clamp down, the copper taste of blood filling her mouth.

That was it, anger overload. In true reckless Carter fashion she launched out her fist, aiming for Marcus's well-chiselled face. It was to Carter's complete horror that muscle head actually dodged, sending her fist past his face and right through the hard brick wall behind him.

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No not again! Carter pulled her hand back from the perforation in the wall almost as horrified as the crowds of people gawking at her, she looked down at the legs of her faded blue levi's. "What?" She asked, embarrassed. Those around her continued to stare. "You look like you've never seen a girl break a wall before."

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Disclaimer: We disclaim all of LJS's stuff. Ririka gets to keep all the hot guys in this one though. *Sigh* 

Well, did you like? Want more? We need encouragement you know. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

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C a R t E r

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Deja Vu!

"Why are you like this!" Sofia Blake demanded, pushing her mahogany locks out of her face, her hazel eyes enraged. The weight of her mothers' anger pressed in and around Carter, making the atmosphere in their battered Hyundai suffocating.

Carter focussed on the blur of leafless trees and painted white houses through the passenger window. "I don't do it on purpose." She told her mother, preparing herself for the third degree.

"Carter, this isn't the first time you've done _this_!" Her mother reminded her, she was clearly trying to harness her anger. Carter kept her interest firmly fixed on the blurred images of normalcy outside her window. What her mother said was true; it was deja vu all over again. How many times had she been expelled or transferred from schools for 'irregular' or 'improper' behaviour? Four, five times, Carter had lost count. "And I had a really important client in my office when the school called," her mother ranted, when she didn't reply. "No doubt we lost that contract!"

"Look, I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean for it-,"began Carter, turning to look her mother in the eye.

"You were fighting in the halls with the star football player of your school, probably using what your father taught you. Then putting your fist through a wall. A wall Carter!" Her mother repeated for emphasis. "So don't you dare try to make any excuses or say sorry." Carter glared out of the window once again, it figured she would react this way, it was the way she'd reacted when Carter had accidentally electrocuted some girl in fourth grade. She didn't do this weird crap on purpose, it just happened. _Spontaneous acts of profound freakiness,_ Carter mused, biting back derisive laughter.

As her mother turned onto their driveway, Carter saw the elegant red corvette parked outside their house. She felt her stomach clench, leaning against the hood was Rudolph Burns suave European arts dealer and current boyfriend of her mother. Carter moved to make a quick exit but her mother stopped her abruptly with a sharp. "Young Lady!" Carter slumped back against her seat with a sigh. "You are grounded until I say otherwise, that means no TV, no phone, no music, no Internet, no friends. Am I understood?"

"Yes." Carter bit out, thrusting open the car door and escaping up the path to the house, she heard Rudolph say something about "missing a lunch date". Before she let herself in and fled up the stairs so she wouldn't have to witness the disgusting scene that was adult smooching.

Her room, decorated in sky blue with an array of posters, books and double bed, was her haven. Candles placed in various nooks and crannies including in her windowsill and on her nightstand, the parquet floor and the wind chimes hanging by the door all confirmed it was self-decorated. There were no such things anywhere else in the house. 

Her father had died four months ago when a field manoeuvres mission had ended in disaster, so the thought of her mother making out with some rich, older, charming _dog. _Her mind snapped, _he's a rich, older charming dog! _Wasn't Carter's idea of suitable viewing. She dropped her knapsack in the middle of the floor to her room and slumped down on her bed.

Her mother was undoubtedly telling Rudolph of the whole messed up situation at school, of how the principle had said he "didn't think it was in Carter's best interests to return to the school". Carter ran her tongue over the cut on her bottom lip, _she's probably telling him that she has a twisted freak for a daughter and she can't take it anymore. _Carter told herself, bitterly, as she threw herself off the bed and wandered to her window seat.

There it was. On their perfectly kept lawn, mother and rich older charming dog in the process of lip lock. Carter groaned and stumbled to her to search her bookshelf for some piece of literature that would wipe that whole disgusting scene from her mind.

Rudolph Burns. He was just too perfect, where was his flaws? "Carter, I'm going back to work. I'll be home at five and remember no TV, music, Internet, phone!" Her mothers' voice echoed from the staircase below.

"Yeah, yeah I know!" Carter replied, frustrated.

"Okay," said her mother. "We'll talk about what happened at school when I get home." With that the front door clicked shut and her mother was gone. _Oh I can't wait for that intellectually challenging conversation, _Carter quipped, silently.

Feeling ultimately annoyed and restless, she padded downstairs to raid the refrigerator. "Does she honestly believe I like getting kicked out of school after school and been labelled, basically a freak?" She asked Mrs Tibbs, her mothers mongrel cat, who was now wrapped around Carter's legs. In answer to her question Mrs Tibbs mewed, delicately.

Smiling faintly, Carter picked up the cat and placed her on the pale green Formica counter beside her. "She's being unfair right?" Mrs Tibbs looked disinterested and began cleaning herself in boredom. Carter sighed and pulled out the triple chocolate fudge ice cream. "Figures you wouldn't care. You're biggest worry is fleas," she informed the cat, scooping ice cream into a bowl.

After collecting her bowl ice cream from the breakfast bar, Carter retreated back to the safety of her room and flicked on the TV. Sure she wasn't supposed to watch it, but what her mother didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Settling down onto her bed she and Mrs Tibbs watched Jerry Springer.

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So, anymore for anymore? I.e., review! ;) next chapter we hit some action of the violent NW kind. 


	3. Chapter 3

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D i M i T r I

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Initiations.

Dimitri Rolon watched his prey enter the worn High school across the street with a sense of dissatisfied boredom. Vermin were so easy to track, they were so pitiful and weak. Dimitri almost felt offended at being sent to kill such a pathetic target, of course it was all part of the Initiations. All the new members were ordered to dispose of a human before they were marked. It was the way you earned your place.

With a reluctant sigh he slipped out of the car and into the shadows of the street, it was time to end this charade. With an impatient gesture he ran a hand through his rough blonde hair and headed for the school. He had located his target, now it was time to ensnare the vermin and finish what he had started.

Carter surveyed the overcrowded gym with a bitter taste in her mouth, all of these fairly intelligent people gathered together to promote what? _Teen spirit!_ She thought viciously, _now where was their teen spirit when Marcus was bouncing Kelsey off the walls? _The smell of sweat and wood varnish accosted her sinuses as soon as she moved upwind from the jockstraps.

"Hey, I'm just going over to the Hurricane bench to talk to the coach." Erika said, pointing to said bench. "I'll be back soon, okay." Erika trotted off, the image of the perfect female. Damn, she was frustrating. Not only had she dragged Carter here, back into the educational hell when it wasn't compulsory, but she had dragged Carter here, back into the educational hell when it wasn't compulsory, to partake in the brain killing exercise that was _cheering._

She managed to loiter away to one side, trying to avoid her classmates and teachers. She had only been re-accepted back into the school a couple of days ago because her mother had made a complaint to the Board of Education, she didn't want to be singled out and ostracised. She didn't want to give them the excuse they were looking for to kick her out permanently.

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God damn this was brain numbing, She said to herself as she regarded the cheerleaders performing some 'amazing athletic feat' in an outfit that barely covered their butts. Carter had to keep reminding herself that she was here to keep Erika's mind on the article she was supposed to be writing for the school newspaper.

Carter hazarded a glance at Erika, whom, she noted scornfully hadn't made it to the bench but was instead chatting with some guy. Carter sighed, she was unmistakable in her sexy but conservative silver skirt and blouse, which only seemed to shimmer as she moved. She was beautiful there was no doubt about it, her glowing cocoa skin, ebony hair, everything right down to her sweet button nose only proved she was pretty. Dressed in short style white overalls and a blue midriff, Carter in comparison was plain.

Carter sighed, she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Why couldn't Erika just hurry the hell up so they could escape Toxic Jock Land and go grab a pizza? She surveyed the football players on the benches at the head of the room and wondered vaguely if this was what people meant when they said hell with fluorescent lighting.

Her gaze travelled around the gym until it came to rest upon two intertwined figures in a shadowed corner furthest away. The one in the football jersey she recognised as Muscle head Marcus and the other Carter assumed was Kelsey. _So they're still together,_ Carter seethed with disgust. _What the hell was Kelsey Mason's damage, was she going to wait until he beat her into the ER before she dropped his sorry ass?_

Carter bit her lip in frustration and turned to find Erika when she saw Kelsey giggle at something Marcus had said, it was all she could do to stop herself from marching down there and shaking some sense into Miss Popularity.

She felt her fury levels go off the charts when she wasn't able to locate her friend. _God. Fucking. Damn. It! _Erika was always doing this, leaving Carter in a corner and then disappearing to make out with some big stupid stud with the IQ the size of a pea. She had done it in Middle School _and_ High School. Jesus, it was what she had done since puberty had hit. _It would serve her right if I had just left the bitch here,_ she raged to herself.

Okay, so all the above facts were true, but what pissed Carter off most of all was the fact that she was doormat enough to let Erika keep walking all over her. _Not anymore though, _Carter concluded clenching her teeth. _When I find her I am so going to let her have it._

Carter slipped out of the gym a moment later, wondering where Erika might go. She'd only gotten a few steps when she heard the faint tapping of shoes behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she saw a fairly attractive blonde boy heading toward her. _Probably another victim of toxic jock syndrome, _Carter thought as she noticed his pumping biceps. She stopped and waited expecting the guy to make some 'hey baby' remark. Carter watched him with silent distaste as his rested intently on her. She was not, to say the least comfortable with this situation.

Then the boy smiled, a perfectly normal smile and disappeared into the boys bathroom to his right. Carter felt like smacking her hand to her head, what the hell was wrong with her. She shook her head and continued down the hall muttering to herself about paranoia and mental institutions. It didn't matter if anyone heard her; they probably thought she was stark raving bonkers, why not give them a comfort zone and prove them right?

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Well, next chapter for the all out violence. *Sheepish look* I got them a bit muddled… but the intent is definitely there! Dimitri, what a nice guy. So, thank you all for your lovely reviews! :-D. *Does happy dance* Four reviews for next chapter people… ;) 


	4. Chapter 4

Airlia de Lioncourt: Cheers chuck. Here's the violence. 

Tamashii: Because that's where it is. But you've inspired Emma to start a fic in England… ;)

Falcon: :) Thanks. We're a few chapters ahead of you as well…

Adamindgirl: Thanks, is this deeper?

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C a R t E r

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Grimm Fairytales.

Frustration was too small a word to describe Carter's mood fifteen minutes later. Erika and Mr. Hunm were not making out on the entrance steps, nor were they getting hot and heavy in one of the cosy little niches near the cafeteria, although other people were. Nor was she on the basement steps being groped. _That's it? I've got one more idea where they might be. And if they're not there I'm going home. _Cater muttered to herself silently whilst storming toward the secluded science building. The sounds of a muffled scream filled the crisp November air, which of course sent Carter into an all out sprint.

That voice was familiar, and Carter knew with a sudden horror that her friend was in real danger. She flew around the corner of Miss Grace's Chemistry class to be confronted with the sight of Erika pinned painfully against the wall by the Mr Hunk she had been swooning over only moments ago. Carter noticed something else too.

This guy was glowing.

Okay that was such a twisted cliché, but it was true. It wasn't a subtle glow like Carter sometimes thought she saw in the people around her. Instead it seemed to flicker a subtle red before turning into a solar flare, which seemed to wrap around him like a blanket. She ignored the glow although it almost blinded her and advanced on the not so attractive Mr Hunk.

"Hey!" Carter snapped, dragging the guys' attention out of his attempted asphyxiation of her best friend.

Dimitri eyed the new vermin suspiciously, it had to be some kind of trick of the light. The target, '_his target_' had collapsed at his feet and was now whimpering. /_Pathetic_/. "What the hell are you?" He drawled, "some Xena warrior princess wannabe?"

It/she rolled her eyes. "Puh-lease. Xena was so five minutes ago!"

Dimitri eyed it/her with distaste, everything about her jarred his senses. She looked acted and dressed to all intents like a stupid vermin but..."Switch your aura off. It's rude and unprofessional."

Carter felt her jaw slacked. "_WHAT?"_

So she was a lost little witch. Though how she remained lost with all that aura...He grinned self satisfied. He thought silence after what was a cryptic remark-to her at least-would piss her off.

He wasn't wrong.

She tried to rein her anger, she really tried. But there was something about this...this asshole that unsettled her beyond words. "You're one sick bastard." Carter ground out through gritted teeth. "Now get the hell away from her!"

Dimitri lowered his gaze to the now crawling vermin. With one fluid kick he had knocked it to the floor and heard the ribs breaking. She gave out a satisfactory half scream. He started to look back at the witch, smug to his core. He let out a startled cry as a dead weight struck him to the floor. /_I should have seen that coming_/...

Carter launched herself at the Would-Be-Murderer as soon as she saw him kick Erika. Jesus Christ, Erika may have had an askew view of friendship but that didn't mean that Carter didn't feel her friends' pain. She watched satisfied as the bastard hit the floor. But to her annoyance he was back on his feet within a number of seconds.

Dimitri didn't waste time thinking anymore. He twisted from under her and leapt to his feet. In one hand a knife was a comforting weight. He grabbed Erika by the hair and pulled her against the blade. The grin settled back.

"The act of a coward," barked Carter. Her gaze never leaving his face. How to get the knife and him away from Erika without Erika getting hurt?

She started to sizzle as blood trickled oh so slowly down her friends throat. _I have to stay calm. I can't just rush him. I have to stay calm. _The thought was rushed and manic. The opposite of what she needed.

Simultaneously, as the girl gave up and glaring and started to dive for him he prepared to plunge the knife into his Initiation Kill.

He yelped, like a kicked puppy as the knife melted and smouldered in his hand.

Carter didn't know how or why the Would-Be-Murderer screamed and yelped but she was thankful for it. Without any hesitation she grabbed Erika, yanking her away from her surprised assailants grip and depositing her away from the impending area where Carter totally intended to pound this bastards ass into the ground.

By now Erika's attacker had regained his composure and fell into a karate-fighting stance. So he wasn't just some unskilled Would-Be-Rapist/Murderer. He actually knew how to fight, for a bizarre moment Carter felt a thrill of anticipation swell through her. It had been so long since anyone had been able to offer her a real challenge.

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He pounced knowing now that she wasn't to be underestimated, that little stunt with the knife was a fucking revelation though, Dimitri had no idea how she'd done it. And right now he really didn't care. If he returned to the enclave without completing his Initiation kill they would kill him, being unable to kill a single puny human was an utter failure. It was just unacceptable.

The little lost witch of course sidestepped his lunge as he had intended and so was unprepared for the swinging back kick he drove into her stomach.

Carter grunted in pain, he was good. Yes, he was competition. And if Carter had her way tonight he would also be in a lot of pain. After catching her with a sly back kick she had pirouetted away from a crippling combination of punches, kicks and throws. She smiled as the Would-Be-Murderer began to pant. _My turn,_ she told him silently.

Her right hook was avoided, but had only been a distraction anyway so she could land a nice firm elbow strike in his neck. Her father had pointed out every weak spot on the human torso so that Carter knew exactly where and how hard to hit. The insane Mr Hunk growled but Carter was too busy overwhelming him with flurry after flurry of Roundhouses palm strikes, dodges, deflections, counters and punches.

She almost felt sorry for the poor bastard.

Almost.

He was surprised, not alarmed at all by the little witch's ability to fight. Most spellcasters were weak, whiny wimps who relied too much upon their magic. Dimitri blocked a swift uppercut to his neck. But how in the hell could even a pumped up witch hit as hard as she.

The girl blocked a clumsy high kick and countered with one of her own, now he was alarmed. This entire situation was becoming too unnerving. This lost little witch was getting the better of _him. Him_, a ruthlessly trained Night World assassin. Ten long hard years spent training with some of the coldest cruellest reptiles in the history of Night World society and he was about to be bested by a lost little 'witch' who knew nothing of her true heritage!

Along with the last of these thoughts Dimitri felt his skin start to shift, he hadn't wanted to change into wolf form, but this pathetic vermin raised witch hadn't left him much choice.

Dimitri growled showing fang. He noticed with grim satisfaction that the witch had the good sense to be shocked, then her shock morphed into fear. Dimitri the wolf watched the girl shake her head, pushing away all shock and fear. She smelled like apples and jasmine with a spicy undertone, she would undoubtedly taste good.

He gathered his legs under him, getting ready to launch two hundred and seventy five pounds of pure werewolf on her. He heard the shallow breathing of his now unconscious target and the steady strong heartbeat of the witch in front of him and pushed off with his legs.

Carter wasn't really sure she was actually seeing this, it was like she had just jumped from nice, normal reality to a scene out of the Grimm fairytales. _Werewolves? _Carter thought, staring at the wolf calmly. She had felt a brief flash of shock and then an unbelievable desire to run from fear, but now she had banished back those emotions she was able to stare back at the furry mass growling at her with something like clinical calm.

She would not run out on Erika, there was just no way in hell. The wolf gave a last feral bark before Carter realised what was happening and it pounced for her.

It was like supernovas exploding in your mind, it hurt just as much as a gastritis explosion too. Now she what people meant when they said they were seeing stars. _Uh corny! _Carter barked at herself. Then she remembered, and she felt the whoosh of air against her face as the wolfs head snapped down to rip her throat out.

Carter wasn't at all sure what happened next, the pain and flash of pure white light that suddenly clouded her vision prevented any actual comprehension of the next five seconds. When her vision returned Carter saw the wolf struggling to stand almost ten feet away from her. _What the hell happened?_

Dimitri could feel something like ironic laughter bubbling up inside him, he had expected an easy kill tonight, an easy fight. What he had got was anything but easy. The bitch had blasted him with witch fire, not simple weak witch fire but bloody white witch light. The kind that said the bearer had some major power.

Damn! He had failed, and now he was going to have to return to the enclave injured and a failure. Damn! Gathering his muscles beneath him, Dimitri looked back at the lost witch who was looking at him befuddled and then bounded off in soul shaking fury in the direction of the wooded area at the back of the school.

It was gone. And as it disappeared into the woods Carter felt a sudden relief wash through her. Robotically she stumbled to her feet and got up to check out Erika, she was still breathing but she was unconscious.

Carter spent an aching ten minutes looking for Erikas' purse, it took a further five minutes to pull out her cell phone and call an ambulance, the purse had been thrown off into the foliage between the school and the woods and then Carter's bloody fingers had seized up as she was trying to dial.

Twenty minutes later the blare of sirens filled her ears and she felt herself sigh as the paramedics rushed to aid her friend. She answered the questions the police asked her as well as she could without mentioning any talk of a werewolf. But even as she answered with a cold monotone voice all she could remember was one of the wolfs earlier questions.

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What the hell are you?


	5. Chapter 5

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C a R t E r

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School Counsellors - psychologists who were too stupid to get the grades.

Why is that when you seem to fight a little more than most High school kids, have somewhat of a combustible temper and have well, a tainted permanent record do people immediately think therapy is the answer? Carter mused over this the next morning as she sat in Mr Mikasis office. The school counsellor was eyeing her with his Freud stare.

It had been decided that in return for her admittance back into school she receive counselling for her anger!_ They should get Marcus in here. _Carter groused, _he's the one who needs anger management._

Mr Mikasis smiled at her under dark lashes, "I understand that you've been having problems with your peers Carter."

Glaring at him would have been a perfect reply, but since she didn't want to piss her mother off she smiled back. "Just a little."

"And why do you think you have this problem?" The laid back Latino inquired, looking at her with what must have been a mustered up friendliness.

Carter answered without missing a beat. "Aren't you the one whose supposed to tell me? Isn't that why I'm here?"

"It would appear so, but I thought it might help if perhaps you could tell me why you think you have these problems." Mr Mikasis said, placing his hands on his desk.

Carter surveyed his office, her eyes glancing over school pictures, books, trophies and diplomas before she replied. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe I'm not a people person."

Running a hand through his coffee-coloured hair, Mr Mikasis seemed to consider this. "And why do you think you're not a people person?"

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Oh Jesus, Carter almost rolled her eyes at that,_ did people actually pay people to get this counselling crap? _"Well, I guess I just don't like people invading my space." Today she wearing her navy blue cargo pants, and a white long sleeved polo shirt that was baking her from the inside out. It had been necessary though, unless of course she wanted to explain to everyone, her mom included why she had huge blazing scratches on her arms, sides and neck. 

The school counsellor looked a little perplexed at her answer. "And do you think this is a plausible reason for your acts of violence?" He asked, he was still trying to sound indifferent but the edge in his voice was unmistakable.

"Gee, I thought you guys weren't supposed to be judgmental," answered Carter.

Mr Mikasis actually flushed red, which with his tan must have been quite difficult. "I'm sorry, I was being awfully judgmental." He told her, embarrassed. "But do you honestly believe violence is always the answer?"

Carter briefly considered announcing she had been wrestling a werewolf last night. "Not always." Carter said, then noticing his relieved expression quickly added. "But sometimes." Nah, not such a good idea, however amusing it may be to see his reaction, he could have her hospitalised for schizophrenia.

"Carter," from the emphasis he put her name Carter knew he was beginning to lose his patience, that and the strain in his jade green eyes. "Just because someone angers you it does not give you the right to physically harm them."

She reined her fury at his condescending tone and instead gritted her teeth before she answered. "I know that."

"Do you?" He interjected before she could continue. "Because I don't think you do, there are other solutions apart from violence."

Carter looked at him squarely, gaze unwavering. "Tell you what Mr Mikasis, when you stare down a two hundred and fifty pound football player who is getting rough with his girlfriend and get him to stop by talking to him." She stood up. "I'll start looking into these other solutions." When she got to the _other solutions _she made quotation marks with her fingers.

"Carter I-"

"Look, this has been really helpful." Carter said, not even bothering to sound sincere. "But I have to go or I'll be late for Biology."

Mr Mikasis might have argued with her abrupt need to make an exit, if his phone hadn't rang at that precise moment. He shot her a frustrated glance as she made her escape unhindered.

Outside in the halls Carter headed for Mrs Metcalfs class feeling more that just a little pissed. She wished more than anything that she could tell him where to shove his Freud psycho babble. _Ugh, School counsellors were just psychologists who were too stupid to get the grades._ Carter thought, as she slid into her seat.

She was about to inform Erika on this new revelation, when she realised that her best friend was still in the hospital and not sitting beside her as the case usually was. Thinking about last night of course only served to remind her of the whole whacked out scene with the werewolf and his infuriating questions that grated on her mind.

"Ah, Miss Blake. Can you tell me please the stages of cellular division." Mrs Metcalf asked, from the front of the room. Thirty pairs of eyes focussed in her direction and Carter felt that hot flush creep up into her cheeks. Damn it was going to be one of those days!

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Thank you Tai Darling and Airlia. Next chapter: The hot sexy guy of the fic. And I there's some blood… :D


	6. Chapter 6

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B r E n N a N 

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Wild Little Witch.

The ear piercing screams of some poor despairing sap filled the halls of the antiquated castle, Brennan smiled, grimly. It had been two hundred years since he had walked these chambers, and now he had returned on the behest of his Lord. Beside him, Callum Namir sniggered to himself. "It's good to be home."

Brennan was in silent agreement, two hundred years spent carrying out assassinations, kidnappings and thefts had left him pining for the comforts Insignia could offer.

"I don't know?" Tivon objected, "Why would Lord Insignit order our return for the Initiations, he's never done it before."

"Since when does he need a reason Sabrina?" Callum said, shrugging his shoulders in answer. Brennan shook his head as the witch gave Callum the finger. Before Callum could taunt Tivon further they arrived outside their Lords quarters, the bedraggled human servant, who had led them around the castle, scurried off without even being told.

Another tortured scream pierced the air, it was quite obvious the pitiful shrieks were emanating from inside the closed doors. Being a vampire, Brennan could smell the pungent scent of blood that soaked the air, it too, was coming from inside the room.

Callum lounged against the grey stone walls whilst Tivon stood admiring the many ancient weapons their liege had collected over time. Brennan watched the door intently, he concentrated, using his super sensitive hearing to pick up on the conversation ongoing behind the solid Oak doors.

"So what's all the screaming about?" Tivon asked, a moment later. He had wandered back toward the doors and away from the display cases.

"Some servants been stealing." Callum supplied, with a casual shrug. "Insignit's just exacting the usual punishments." Tivon opened his mouth to say something else, but was cut off abruptly as the doors swung open with a heavy thud.

All three of them watched with cold indifference as the carcass of a flayed human was dragged by the feet down the hall.

"And this time do take care not to trail blood on the rugs." A voice full of ice commanded from the doorway. The owner of the voice, a slender female spared them a glance before stalking back into the room. Without needing an invitation Brennans' party entered behind her.

The room was an array of antique furnitures, ancient art and efficient weaponry. There were an number of adjoining chambers that served as bedrooms, bathrooms and the like. In which all the furnitures, art and weapons were from one time period or another. Ancient Egypt, Medieval France etc. Brennan had seen it all before and had spent enough time marvelling over the eccentricities.

It was rather surprising that he spared the room any notice at all, since it was the rooms inhabitant whom seemed to strike guests immediate attention. The tall muscular man in his early thirties sat comfortably at the banquet table to the left drinking from a golden goblet. The woman had taken the seat beside him and was smiling fixedly at Brennans team.

"I trust we haven't caught you at a bad time." Brennan said, smiling wryly. The man in the black, jeans and crisp black shirt gave a hearty chuckle.

It was the imposing mans female companion who commented though. "Your Raven has returned my Lord." She purred, running a delicate hand down his chest.

"And how it pleases me to see him." Insignit replied, turning his steel grey eyes onto his guests. "My Raven, Tivon, Callum. This is Roselai Arna, the new teacher in deception and acting." He informed them motioning to his dinner partner. "Rose, this is Brennan Silverlake, Callum Namir and Tivon Cloud. Three of the best I have ever trained."

"Forgive me when I say my Lord, but I will be the judge of that." She murmured, stroking back her ash blonde curls. Lord Insignit chuckled once more, the woman Rose laughed also, not realising that it was she who was being laughed at. Not knowing that she was talking about three of the most ruthless monsters the Order of Insignia had created in it's twenty-five hundred years of existence

Brennan paid that comment no heed, she was a made vampire, about five hundred years old and over confident to say the least. "It's good to be home My Lord."

Insignit inclined his head but a fraction, smiled, and motioned to the seats in the room. "Sit, speak with me. It has been long since I have had company who know me so well."

Tivon and Callum slumped onto two of the Italian style sofas at opposite ends of the table, Brennan sat in the chair directly opposite his mentor. "How fair this years Initiations?"

Their Lord nodded, understanding their curiosity. "Ten out of the twelve have returned successful, we still await the other two."

"It's been a successful year," remarked Callum. Brushing a hand through his hair of myriad blonde, brown and black, a bored gesture.

"Successful, indeed." Insignit reiterated, taking a hearty drink from his cup. The bright crimson liquid staining his lips.

Brennan opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when the tarnished Oak doors that had been closed behind them as the entered was thrust open again.

In marched Saben Wing, the falcon shifter taught sword and spear combat to the uninitiates. Behind him two of Insignias guard dressed in the traditional white and blue uniforms accompanied a bloody figure. "My Lord," Saben began, bowing respectfully. "Please forgive this intrusion, but this event is of the most importance." Saben nodded to the crumpled body. "Here stands Dimitri Rolon, of the Wolf Clan, student under your guidance for ten years." Sabens voice filled the room. "Here he stands, My Lord. A failure."

At the last word, Lord Insignit who had barely glanced at the bedraggled form the guards held, turned his full unwavering glare on the wolf. "Failure!" He said slowly. "Failure!" He repeated, his voice rising ever so slightly. He made a quick impulsive gesture toward the guards, whom backed away instantly. Next Insignit nodded to Rose who disappeared into one of the many ante rooms and re-appeared a moment later with a bast cat and ninetails. Dimitri's eyes widened for a moment at the punishment device and then his face took on that expressionless stare that all the children of Insignia learned, the stare that buried all emotions in a tight limitless grave deep inside their minds

"What do you have to say for yourself pitiful whelp." Saben demanded, as he turned to accost the wolf.

"It was a witch." Dimitri mumbled. At this Rose lashed him with the whip, he flinched but did not move, for that he got a sliver of respect from Brennan, who knew only too well how much damage a bast whip could do.

Brennan, disinterested by the whole scene, watched as the werewolf endured another five lashes of Roselais' murderous whip, "It was a witch... a witch... a lost witch attacked me as I was about to kill my target." The wolf cried, the gashes on his back and legs were now bleeding onto the floor. His dirty clothes lay in tatters, soaked with his blood. 

"Speak up boy. Tell us of this witch you speak of and I may spare your life." Insignit commanded, holding Roses whipping arm so she couldn't lash at him again.

"The target, a girl... Erika Simmons. I had her... then that other girl, she just appeared from no where. She fought me she was tough... she knew martial arts. Then I shifted... she was too strong... so I shifted. I had her ready for the kill... then she blasted me with witch fire." The werewolf said, gasping, his voice tight from the pain. Brennan noticed he had a serious chest wound that wasn't healing as well as it should.

"Long live Wonder Witch," quipped Callum. Turning to gauge everyone's response. Brennan felt his mouth turn up into a half smile.

"Pah, witch fire. That's what caused your other wounds," spat Rose. Circling Dimitri, like a vulture would circle the remains of prey. "A puny, little witch and her feeble witch fire did this." She raked her talon like fingers into the wolfs chest wound, he flinched.

"It was white witch light." He gasped out, as she dug her ruby red nails deeper. At this Roselai stopped dead.

Lord Insignit waved for Rose to step back. "A lost witch that knows nothing of her true heritage, physically beat a trained Night World assassin, and was able to call on the strongest witch fire there is without any teaching." He summarised, a look to Tivon.

"It's a possibility," said the witch, sitting to attention. "Not very likely, but still a possibility."

Lord Insignit stepped close to the wolf. "You are going to tell me and my elite everything about this girl, then, they are going to track her down. So if you are lying to me I will know of it, and whatever Roselai can do to you it cannot compare to what I will do to you if you have lied to me." He told the wolf, his voice holding promises of pain, torture, blood and despair.

Dimitri Rolon shivered. "I wouldn't lie to you my Lord."

"Very well, tell us about this witch." Insignit insisted, sitting back down to drink his blood, Roselai joined him as the wolf began to recount the confrontation. 

Brennan listened intently to everything that was said. He knew of course that this new discovery would mean he and his team would be dispatched to either kidnap or kill this wild little witch. Not that it mattered, in truth he himself was curious about this girl. Such potential could not be wasted, or allowed to be recruited by the opposing side.

As Dimitri was taken to have his wounds bound, Lord Insignit looked to Brennan's team. "You know what you are to do."

All three nodded in unison.


	7. Chapter 7

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C a R t E r

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My mother, the travel agent for guilt trips.

As soon as Carter stepped over the threshold of the house she knew from the expression on her mothers face that a mother daughter talk was imminent. And it wasn't going to be one of those mind expanding mother daughter talks she _enjoyed_ ever so much either.

No, it was going to be _the_ mother daughter talk of all mother daughter talks. And just to add salt to the wounds her mother was about to inflict, was Rudolph. She wasn't talking about the cute fluffy reindeer who pulls Santa's sleigh either. Nope, it was the Suave-Arts Dealer-I-Have-A-Corvette Rudolph.

Carter gritted her teeth as Sofia advanced from the kitchen into the hallway. Gritting her teeth in preparation was her way in maintaining damage control.

"I just had a wonderful conversation on the phone," her mother began, in that calm voice that set alarm bells off in Carter's head. "With Officer Anderton." Carter remembered him from the night of Erika's attack. She had fondly nicknamed him The-One-Who-Wouldn't-Shut-Up. "Yes he wanted to call and applaud your bravery for scaring Erika Simmons attacker off." Her mothers' voice had developed an austere edge. "He also found it strange that I, your mother, didn't even know about any such incident." She pointed toward the family room and Carter followed the direction, dropping down onto the plush cream flower patterned sofa. "Would you like to tell me why you felt you had to hide this from me." It was a demand not a question. "Because if officer Anderton found it strange that I didn't know about the attack, I found it very upsetting." The tone of her mothers' voice wavered and cracked. "I mean, has it become so bad between us that you can't even speak to me anymore?" She sobbed, Carter shifted in her seat. _My mother, the travel agent for guilt trips._

Rudolph moved in to try and console her. Carter wanted to feel bad, but in reality she just didn't. She hadn't told her mom for a number of very good reasons. First of all, she knew that her mother would react, well, basically pretty much the way she was reacting now, then she hadn't wanted to cause her any unnecessary worry. And then there was the fact that what Carter had seen attacking Erika had made her feel like, well, a freak. Not to mention the reason that was loitering just out of reach of her mind. The one she didn't want to think about.

She opened her mouth to begin to apologise when Rudolph broke in. "Do you see what you've done!" He said, cradling her mother in her arms. 

That was it! Any chance at an apology was lost with those five words.

"What _I've _done? We were fine until you came!" Rage was too diminutive a term to describe her emotional state right then.

"Not from what I've seen." Rudolph barked in reply.

"Like I give a shit about what you see!"

Her mother seemed to regain her voice at that point. "Carter, don't speak to Dolph that way!"

That was went gritting her teeth failed to maintain damage control. "See, this is why I didn't tell you about Erika! It's always Rudolph this...Rudolph that... Rudolph's superman. Dad would never have-"

"Carter!" Her mother bleated.

There she had said it, what she had been thinking for two months but didn't want to admit to herself. Her mother had put Rudolph above her in the hierarchy of importance. She had broken the cardinal rule of, family above all else. And Carter resented her for it. "Fuck this." Her voice was calm, but she stormed out anyway. She just felt tired. The final door of the house slammed shut behind her and she was standing on their gravel driveway.


	8. Chapter 8

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B r E n N a N

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Talking to trees?... Shit. And they say I have problems.

"Quite an argument." Callum quipped, reclining in his seat like a cat stretching after a nap.

"Entertainment." Tivon agreed. "Like an edited episode of Jerry Springer, we should bug em all if they're all this much fun."

Brennan kicked the monitors they'd been watching, hard, as the snow running across them consumed the entire screen. "Tivon, let's go. Callum, keep an eye on the wolf." He indicated the Sofia Blake's boyfriend on the monitor. It had after all been obvious he was Night World. His name said it all. 'Rudolph' meant famous wolf, even a stupid Night Worlder would be able to spot he was a werewolf. If not by the name the black foxglove emblem on his ring would have told them.

"Got it." Callum replied, adjusting his seat.

Brennan was on his feet and half way out the door when Tivon spoke. "You shouldn't beat the shit out of the equipment boss. It cost us big bucks, remember?" One look from Brennan made him smile and add quickly. "I'm shutting up now Boss."

They caught up with their quarry in Broe Street park. And she had a very interesting hobby too, if pummelling trees constituted a hobby. Brennan watched amused as she punched the metal post of the nearby swingset before turning her fury onto a nearby Willow. She seemed to stop for a moment glancing, confused, from the pole to the tree and then to her fist.

"What's she doing?" Tivon asked, trying to strangle his spluttering laughter.

Brennan could hear the girls surprised thoughts and mutterings. "She's trying to figure out why punching a tree hurts more than punching a metal pole."

"Half witch, half vampire girl there hasn't got a clue has she?" Tivon said, shaking his head.

"No." Brennan confirmed. Carter Blake had been adopted at age nine months, something she was clearly oblivious to, and had a string of expulsions and reports on strange behaviour tied to her permanent record, which had led to her being dragged to numerous doctors and psychologists. Her father Casey Blake had been in the navy which would explain her martial arts skills and her mother was the manager of a gallery. However, as soon as Brennan and his team-mates had laid eyes upon the raven-haired Carter it was evident that the wolf Rudolph had made a huge mistake. Because not only did she have the aura of a witch, her power also emanated that of a Lamia. She was as Tivon said, a half witch half vampire.

Brennan grinned as Carter stiffened and turned to face them muttering. "Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." Beside him, Tivon chuckled.

She scanned her surroundings briefly. "Right! Show yourselves! Because I so know you're there!" She exclaimed to the empty park.

Brennan and Tivon grinned at each other, before Tivon dived out of the shrubbery, leaving Brennan leaning on a tree. "Merry met," he said carefully.

She raised her eyebrows before looking annoyed. "Oh no, not another glow worm."

"What?" A slight brow creased his eyes until it cleared a second later. "She can see auras!" He turned and told the still hidden Brennan, whirling back to Cater he repeated. "You can see auras!" He took a breath. "Do you know how rare that is? I mean do you know what you can do with that? And?-"

"Talking to trees," commented Carter. "Shit. And they say I have problems." She still looked annoyed.

Tivon regarded her seriously. "They talk back too."

Carter eyebrows raised further at this. "Well then, don't let me interrupt your conversation. I'll leave you to it."

"Have a good day." He said earnestly. "That tree," he pointed with his index finger to the tree beside him. "This scraggly one called _Brennan_, says have a good day as well."

This made Carter's eyebrows raise to her hairline. "Yeah... o...k. Whatever." She said, carefully, as she backed away slowly.

Tivon couldn't help it. He cracked up despite all of his assassin training.

"And my mother says don't go in the park after dark. She never warned me about the psychos who wander it by day."

"You're a good kid," Tivon told her, laughing harder. "Real funny."

Carter stopped for a moment before continuing her retreat. "Good? Me? Never heard that one before." She was almost to the gates now.

Tivon waved as she disappeared down the street. Brennan grinned at the whole scene before stepping out to discipline the witch.

"Tivon battered his eyelids. "Hi Daddy."

The sharp smack to his head didn't stop him smiling. "You idiot!" Brennan informed him.

"I'm hurt, daddy. Cut to the quick!"

Brennan stiffened slightly. "Don't start on that again..."Tivon gave him a pout.

Brennan shook his head. "You want me to smack you again?"

__

"Depends where you smack me?" Tivon said, still pouting.

"Smack you with a knife in the balls to get rid of your hormones." He said simply.

"Ohhhh..."

Brennan glared. "Check on Callum. I'll keep an eye on the girl."

Tivon notched up his smile. "Admit it. You're gay really." Brennan stalked off leaving a laughing Tivon behind.

*

Much thanks for the reviews :D.


	9. Chapter 9

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C a R t E r

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Divide and Conquer...

_Dear Little Red Riding Hood_

The House is empty the family gone.

If you're curious as to what I've done.

Wander to the docks to the farthest peak

There you'll find the family, freak!

__

The Big Bad Wolf. 

P.S. One o'clock

Carter re-read the note several times more, sinking down into the cream coloured armchair by the fire place. _The Big Bad Wolf? _Carter broke into inappropriate spouts of almost hysterical laughter, considering the past weeks events Carter was surprised she hadn't gone completely wacko by now. She just kept expecting Candid Camera to jump out from behind one of the artificial plants and yell, "You're on Candid Camera."

As the family room clock ticked by the next few minutes at a painful rate, Carter began to realise that this was not going to happen. Carter turned troubled eyes back to the note, it was Rudolphs' handwriting, and she'd seen it on her mothers' documents enough to be able to identify the sharp straight lines. But what Carter couldn't understand was just what the hell was going on?

After returning from the walk, in which she'd had that weird encounter with the glow guy she had come home to find the house empty. When she knew without a shadow of a doubt that her mother should have been pacing the rooms ready to pounce as soon as she stepped through the door. But no, there had been no raving, no scowling or demands, just an eerie silence. She pulled herself up out of the armchair and stumbled toward the door in a half daze. 

She didn't know what the hell this was about. Or what the hell was going on. But she felt that before the night was over she have a bloody good idea.

Summer it may have been, but down by the docks at one in the morning it was eternal winter. The harsh ocean air tainted with the pungent taste of salt raged against her body, like a silent warning telling her to turn and run. Carter ignored it the best she could, focussing instead, on her reverberating footsteps against the deck.

Okay, so strolling around the docklands at midnight at the suggestion of a really crappy rhyme wasn't her idea of normalcy. But weirder things had happened. In truth, Carter was more impressed with her apparent skill at manoeuvring herself through the dimly lit dock area than concerned about why the hell she was here. _It's a defence mechanism,_ she told herself as she scaled yet another chain link fence. _You don't concentrate on the potentially psychologically damaging information, your mind makes you think about something small and insignificant, so you don't give yourself a haemorrhage. _That would certainly explain the detached feeling she had right now.

Carter surveyed her surroundings, searching for the harbour master or possible attackers. But all she saw was battered bobbing fishing boat after battered bobbing fishing boat. The note must have been one of Perdi's twisted jokes, yeah, that was it. Perdi was just exercising her sick sense of humour.

That was when a tall, man mountain appeared from the doorway to one of the grey brick warehouses, causing Carter to halt abruptly and tense. The guy nodded a shaven head in the direction of the warehouse, her indication to follow, and then disappeared back through the door. Carter raised her attention toward the top floors of the warehouse and smiled faintly. Emblazoned across the askew sign was, 'Burn's Arts & Artefacts'. Carter shook her head, taking a deep, calming breath before moving to follow.

Rudolph smiled grimly as his servant came to his side and muttered, "She's here." His servants were not that intelligent, but they did have their uses. Anyway, it wasn't time to deliberate over his choice of puppets, it was time to remove a very large and constant thorn in his side.

Sofia's precious Carter ws about to meet an untimely end, and she only had herself to blame. She was an adopted half breed who couldn't be made into wolf. She was too opinionated and foolish to accept his offer at forming a sensible cohesive family unit. Not to mention the fact that time after time she had caused problems between himself and Sofia. Yes, Carter Blake had to be disposed of, Sofia would accept later, that it had been necessary.

It was either kill the damn half-breed or have her ask questions as to why her mother and sister had abandoned her. That would put Sofia and Perdi in danger, it might alert the Nightworld to his little transgression, and just like making humans into vampires was illegal without the councils consent, so was making them into werewolves. He would not allow that stupid, interfering girl to compromise his chance at making himself a happy family.

He would not allow it.

The metallic click of the reinforced steel door closing behind her made a tight knot of dread form deep in the pit of her stomach. Reluctantly, she followed 'shaven head' through the intricate maze of crates, being careful to memorise every crack and crevasse in the labyrinth of wooden boxes for possible escape routes.

Carter scowled to herself in disgust as the putrid smell of mildew and... Was it rot? Filling her nostrils. This entire situation was ridiculous and Carter's mind could only boggle further as she turned the next corner, only to be confronted with Rudolph with another, Carter assumed, flunky flanking him.

"What the -"

Rudolph smiled and broke in before she could finish. "Ah, Carter, so good of you to come." He looked the perfect debonair in his crisp black business suit, mouse brown hair slicked back. "I see you got my note."

It took her a moment to register the words, and then she knew that this wasn't some joke. Whatever Rudolphs' reason for luring her down here, she was sure it wasn't something she would like. If the nasty little voice in her head wasn't enough indication, the unnerving smile on snake stud was. She immediately fell back on her own defence mechanism. Sarcasm.

"Wow, Rudolph. You've finally lost the plot! Has all that hair gel you wear seeped into your brain already!"

Rudolphs smile didn't falter. "I know we've never really seen eye to eye on anything Carter." He paused, starting to pace. "But I know you only want the best for your mother and sister." He stopped, casting her a serious glance. "That's why I'll make it quick!"

Carter had been all ready to indulge her mothers' beau in his little delusion, but his patronising tone made her patience snap. Her anger crumbling like a cookie into her stomach. "What the hell are you talking about you deranged troglodyte?"

"Always defiant, sometimes an admirable trait, but in your case, it's your downfall." Rudolph continued, ignoring her demand. "You made it so easy."

Noticing her bewildered expression he added. "_Divide and conquer_, splitting you from your mother and sister so that they became closer to me and rejected you."

Carter felt the faint simmering fury overtake her body, she pushed it down and surveyed Rudolph before examining the two flunkies at his back. They too, wore a black ensemble of jeans and shirts. She couldn't resist the jibe. "You know you should really assimilate some colour into your wardrobe, then maybe it wouldn't be so hard for you to score."

"Your mother," Rudolph was saying, "will be upset, but she'll understand." He turned to face her, eyeing her from head to toe. "I mean, it's not like your her real daughter!"

Carter had been ready to spout numerous insults at him, then those words escaped his lips, and they died in her throat. For some reason unfathomable, her throat had gone dry.

Rudolph, noting her moment of uncommon silence, launched into a tirade. "You didn't know! Of course you didn't, you poor little sap. Didn't you ever wonder why you looked nothing like your parents and sister?" He told her, watching her intently, relishing her utter disbelief. "Didn't you ever wonder why all those extraordinary events and situations you were involved in never happened to other people?"

She opened her mouth to protest, but no sound emerged. Rudolph continued, laughter laced into his words, malicious laughter. "And you can't deny it. Can you? Because deep down you've always known. That feeling of not belonging, alienation." Each word was like a blow to the solar plexus. "And here's another revelation sweetheart. You're not human."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Carter managed to croak. "You're a lying bastard!"

"Am I? Or is it yourself you're trying to convince?" Rudolph taunted. "You're a monster, I'm not sure what. I think you're some kind of half-breed. Or so I figure since I can't get a clear reading on you." He seemed to be talking to himself rather than his audience.

Carter felt something sink into her stomach filling a long empty gap. _Acceptance? But it can't be!_

"Well I think we've conversed enough." Rudolph said, nodding to his guards. "Like I ordered. Make it." He cast an expressionless glance at Carter. "Quick."

Carter didn't even have time to breathe as long tenuous canines pierced her shoulder.

*

Thanks again, for the review Airlia. ;) 


	10. Chapter 10

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T i V o N

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Something Special!

Tivon watched from the rafters of the warehouse with something like excited anticipation, the girl, Carter had recovered quickly from the revelations of her parentage. But now was the real test, he knew that this would be the moment that determined whether she was just another victim or actually had the potential to be a comrade.

A gasp from behind him, made him turn to give Callum a cool measuring stare. The girl had thrown a four hundred and eighty-pound werewolf into the crate behind her. "Impressed?"

Callum made a disgusted noise as reply. "She just got lucky, the damn canines are incompetent."

Tivon shook his head in resignation, Callum would never show anyone blatant admiration, but it had been clear from his gasp of surprise that he thought this girl had talent. "And look, now she's running. She's proved herself _prey._" Callum snorted a hint of indignation in his voice.

Tivon opened his mouth to dissent his claim when the voice beside him interrupted. "More like the old proverb, _come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly._"

Both Callum and Tivon looked at their leader in surprise. "If you would only push aside your excitement and contestations you would be able to enter her mind.

Tivon raised an eyebrow. "What? You don't' run away from wolves, they'll chase! That's-"

"Watch." Brennan cut in, calmly.

Tivon shrugged and did so. She was still running. And the wolves had scattered after her as she hit the maze of stacked crates. Dodging and weaving around the corners like she had designed the layout. 

"See! I told you they were incompetent." Callum barked out. So much for being quiet, Tivon thought as Callum ranted on. "They're carrying silver weapons! I mean, how stupid is that?" Callum snorted his disgust before continuing. "Carrying the only weapon that can kill you! Stupid mongrels." 

"It is arrogant." Tivon agreed, his voice a low whisper. "But wolves don't' even trust each other so it makes sense." Callum was muttering something more to Brennan, but Tivon was to busy watching Carter run to catch what they were saying.

To her credit she was fast, but that was expected. She was a half vampire after all. Speed was in their blood. Something else Tivon noticed that amused him slightly was the fact the werewolves had dispersed in different directions. The one whom was closest to their target was the shaven haired bouncer type that had led her into the warehouse to begin with. Then Carter stopped and turned, a rather manic smile on her face. Tivon felt his brow crinkle in confusion. _What's she up to? Crazy kids going to get herself killed._

Shaven head appeared around the corner and also halted. It seemed her smile didn't just disquiet Tivon. Werewolf and girl stared at one another for what felt for a lifetime, the wolf broke the trance, shaking his head. He then proceeded to spin his silver tipped spear expertly in circle after circle as he advanced on her. Carter didn't even flinch as the wolf neared her, instead, to both his and Callum's shock she surged forward, graceful as a dancer and grabbed the spear mid-twirl. The wolf, obviously shocked, tried to pull it out of her grip. But his efforts were no avail. In fact, he was rewarded with a swift concise crescent kick to the chest. This Tivon knew solved two problems, it gave Carter control of the weapon and gave her some well-needed distance from her furry friend. Tivon felt Callum boggle as the girl copied the wolf's pattern dance with the spear like she had been born with it in her hands. Tivon emptied his senses of Callum and returned his attention to the goings on below. The werewolf had apparently recovered and both he and Carter were trading kicks and punches. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Brennan smile and a moment later he knew why. The werewolf hit the concrete floor, the spear protruding from his chest.

"Incompetent!" Callum spat in disgust. But Tivon disagreed, the wolf hadn't been anything special, but the Blake girl had handled the whole situation incredibly well, especially well, considering recent revelations. Tivon ignored him, and so did Brennan. Tivon's focus was fixated on what Carters' next actions would be and he didn't have that long to wait to find out. She looked down at the still warm corpse, tilted her head to the side, straightened then whipped the spear from the werewolf's body and sprinted further into the maze.

Tivon had a feeling that he was beginning to understand what Brennan was talking about. This feeling grew in intensity as he watched Carter hid in a crevice of crates and spear the werewolf that had bitten her earlier. The wolf gave an ear-piecing howl of pain before hitting the ground. She pulled the spear out of its back and examined the bloody tip. Her next act was to haul herself up onto the crates so that she could search the routes on either side of her. Tivon was getting only one clear telepathic thought from her.

__

Rudolph

A noise by the door sent her leaping in that directions, jumping the gaps like she was stepping over cracks in the pavement. Tivon saw that predators gleam fill her eyes as she came closer to the source of all of her trouble. Shifting his position on the beams in the roof, Tivon looked on as Carter dropped down from the crates to block the door.

"Going somewhere?" She asked, voice dangerously pleasant.

Rudolph ran a hand through his gelled hair and started at the spear, his features grim as he noticed the blood tainting it's polished point.

Carter noticed his pre-occupation with the spear and turned her head a fraction to examine it too. "What? Disappointed because it's not my blood?" She inquired, voice neutral as she turned her cerulean blues on the wolf.

"Perhaps… perhaps I underestimated you." Rudolph began.

Carter made an incensed noise, eyes blazing. "Perhaps?" she demanded. "Let's recap, me alive, barely injured and holding a weapon. You, down two men and with no imminent escape. Who do you think has the upper hand?" Carter started to stalk around the wolf. Rudolph opened his mouth to speak but Carter cut him off. "Where is mom and Perdi?"

"Don't worry, they're safe and sound." Rudolph answered, his voice soothing. "They're sleeping in the van behind the warehouse." He motioned behind her while she just gave him a faint smile. "Where is Stephan and Bishop?"

Her smile faded. "You mean the terminally furry." Carter said, turning the spear in a fluid X motion. "They're dead." Rudolphs' mouth dropped open momentarily. "Self defence, it's a shame that I didn't get the chance to thank my father. Or should that be adoptive father?" Her expression hardened. "Not that it matters since he was the only father I've known."

"Carter, I-"

She held up a hand, silencing Rudolph abruptly. "I do owe you some gratitude though." Carter smiled. "Divide and conquer!" she completed a pattern dance and sent the spear into Rudolphs neck. He collapsed, gasping for breath, his body jerking involuntarily. Tivon watched her investigate her handy work and heard her mutter the next sentence despite the distance. "I like that. _Divide and Conquer._" She rolled the sentence around her mouth savouring the sound. "I should feel sorry for killing you, you know." She paused. "But." She sighed and stretched looking around her. "I just don't."

Brennan, Callum and Tivon gazed after her as she disappeared out of the door. "Did she pass Boss?" Tivon asked, breaking the silence and turning to face Brennan.

In reply Brennan just smiled. It was clear Brennan knew Carter Blake was something special. Tivon was impressed himself. Beauty, brawn and brains, an extremely rare combination to find all at once in just one girl. Yes, Carter Blake was something special indeed.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: a weird review is a review Tai. And I am aware that spasming isn't a word. 

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C a R t E r

_What am I? Flypaper for freaks?_

She stood outside the door, breathing normally. Her mind ran over what had been happening…

__

Werewolves. Fine. _Rudolph is dead_. Even better. _Not feeling a thing_. That was slightly worrying. She'd been bitching about Rudolph since he'd started to worm his way into her mothers' pants. He'd _tried_ to be… well… fatherly. Tried. And now she'd killed him because- 

Belatedly her legs kicked into action. If Rudolph was telling the truth then Perdi and her mom where just around the corner. Trying to ignore the spaming pains in her shoulder, Carter made her way to the side of the building…. And stopped to glare at the three figures who where loitering just ahead.

Carter sighed and walked with purpose towards the trio. "You! Again." She announced, fixing her gaze on the grinning brunette. "What am I?" She asked exasperated. "Flypaper for freaks?!" 

"Nah, more of a collector of hot, ready to guys!" the tree talker from the park grinned.

She slapped a hand to her head and choked back a hysterical laugh. "God, what a day!"

Tivon smile dimmed. "Congratulations." The seriousness from him was eerie. 

It was Carter's turn to frown. "For what?"

"For your tactical annihilation of the werewolves."

"Uh." Carter paled and tried feebly to hide the silver spear behind her back. "What are you talking about?" 

"Divide and conquer." Said the second of the guys who was standing quietly at the back, yet seemed to hold the largest _presence_, was the only way Carter could describe it. His black hair was falling almost gracefully into his grey eyes and at a simple shift in his stance Carter got to admire his defined abs before she tore her gaze away.

She gulped, looking from one to the next and took a wavering step back. "Just who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Tivon Cloud." The tree talker stated. He, Tivon gestured at the guy with the multicoloured hair. "Callum Namir." He flung his arm at the last one, the one with black hair. "Brennan Silverlake." 

"Okay, let me rephrase that." Carter started, her eyes never leaving her conversation companions. "What are you!"

"Psychopaths who are about to sensuously seduce you?"

Carter rose a sceptical eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really!" The one named Callum stated.

Carter eyed him cautiously. Hair a myriad of colours ranging from coal black, liquid amber and burnt sienna. "I don't seduce!" She said, staring into his stone cut emerald eyes. _Cats eyes_, she mused.

Tivon looked thoughtful. "Everybody has a weakness." He told her firmly.

Carter searched each of their faces in turn and sighed annoyed."You know I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed our little philosiphy "Lesson learned." She replied, ceasing her lame attempts to conceal the spear. "But I've got more important things to do!"

Brennan smiled slowly. "You have indeed."

Carter stared at him before starting to edge around them. "So I'll just be going..."

Tivon placed himself directly in her path. "Afraid not sweetheart."

Her eyes narrowed in aggravation. "Get out of my way!" She tried to side step him, but he mirrored her movements. Carter stopped and glared. "Look, I've got places to go, folks to rescue and people to kill. You know how it is!"

"All to well." Tivon said, the humour draining from his face. "I wasn't joking about the psychopathic/sociopath part."

Carter gave a frustrated growl as he blocked her path for about the hundredth time. "You're really pissing me off now!" She told him through gritted teeth.

Tivon regarded her calmly. "Welcome to the family."

"Hellooo... I already have a family. Hence the trying to get past your big fat unmoveable ass to help them." Carter snapped at him, considering whether she should stab him or just stun him.

Tivon gave her on alarmed look. "My ass is fat?" He swivelled his head around to try and see. "Oh my god, is she right? Is my ass fat?"

Carter rolled her eyes whilst suppressing choked up laughter. "God, can you be this superficial?" She asked right before she stomped on his foot.

Tivon sucked in a breath. "Owww!" He bellowed, as she removed her sneaker heel from his boot.

Carter could see Callum shaking his head in her peripheral vision. "All of the martial arts she displays in the warehouse and she stomps on your foot."

"It's skill." Carter told him.

"Why didn't you just kill him?" Callum asked, blandly.

"Well, a) You're standing right there. Two of you. And you probably aren't going to appreciate me killing your babbling bisexual whatever he is." She said, pausing to look at said babbling bisexual.

"How did you know I was bi?" Tivon asked brightly.

"I have a bisexual friend, you share similar behaviour." Carter told him before ranting on. "And b) I don't go around practising homicide without a good reason. Such as kidnapping my mother and sister, trying to kill me and seriously pissing me off!"

Tivon smiled. "And screwing your mother."

Carter pointed at him. "Yeah! That too!"

"I could screw your mother." He replied.

"You do! And I will remove certain parts of your anatomy with a pair of blunt scissors!" Carter told Tivon, giving him a super death glare.

Brennan smiled with something akin to humour in his expression.

"And what the hell are you looking at Mr - I'm - So - Fucking - Gorgeous!" Carter said, accosting the lamia with a murderous glower

He continued to smile as she huffed and puffed in irritation. "You're cute when you're angry." He told her, no emotion radiating from his words.

She made it three steps closer to the extremely attractive Brennan, _extremely attractive, uh come on Blake. He's just a dumb pretty face .Get over it! _Before she reigned her anger and forced her uncooperative legs to stop. Carter plastered her best sincere smile on her face before speaking. "Oh come on, say it like you mean it!"

Tivon bounded up to her and slung a friendly arm around her shoulders. "Finally! Someone else who isn't cowed by the big ominous Silverlake presence."

Carter looked from Tivon to Brennan, whose eyes she noticed were a pale lilac fizz. She turned back to Tivon and cast a glance at the offending arm around her shoulders

The look was enough for Tivon. "What you don't like hugs?" He enquired, removing his arm.

"Not from extremely weird people who appear from no where, congratulate me on killing werewolves and then prevent me from helping my family." Carter informed him, looking around at the trio of strangers.

Tivon opened his mouth to reply but it was Callum who spoke. "They're not your family, didn't you understand what Rudolph told you?"

The witch clapped a hand to his face. ~No he's done it~ He told Brennan. He just made a very calm situation volatile. Perhaps it was the mention of Rudolphs' name or maybe it was the disgusted tone he used but either way Carter's body posture screamed defensive. Not only that but she was also imagining a number of extremely creative and very painful methods of torture of the leopard shifter.

"They're vermin!" Callum stated, he refrained from his usual reclining posture and made a pathway to Carter.

"What?" Carter answered, her voice quiet and calm made an ironic contrast with the roiling waves of fury quaking through her body.

Carter wasn't aware that she was moving until an arm lunged out from behind, pulling the spear from her hand and grabbing her wrist. She reacted on instinct twisting her arm so that she had a grip on her attackers wrist and rotated until she heard a clean crack. Tivons cry of pain and a litany of curses followed.

Brennan shook his head and reached out with his mind. ~Freeze,~ he ordered her. She didn't even hesitate. It figured she'd be immune.

Over Tivon and Carters' fighting form he met Callums eyes. He nodded, once.

She should have felt it coming, expected it at least. But she was so wrapped up in keeping Tivon away from her that the swift blow to the back of her head connected efficiently.

There was only darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

Thank you for your reviews. :) Three! 

Tamashii, here's the next one for your parole. 

Airlia: I love Tivon. That's why he's bio... ;)

littlemissgiggles : Evil is a point of view… 

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C a R t E r

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Rude Awakenings

In between the end of darkness and the beginning of waking, Carter stirred. Eyes fluttering open briefly to a painful, blinding spider web of light. She forced the impending headache away, and opened her eyes for a second time. The light blinded her once more but this time her eyes stayed open.

__

Uh, what happened? She thought pulling herself up off of the cold stone floor and into a sitting position. Carter could almost hear her body groan with the effort. _What happened? _She repeated to herself.

Clear images of past events played over her mind like a production in a movie theatre. Mom, Perdi, Rudolph, Tivon, Callum...Brennan. Each glimpse of the person was followed by a number of jumbled sequences.

Carter roused herself from the fit of recollection, to stumble to her feet. It doesn't matter what people say, waking up hurts a hell of a lot more than being knocked unconscious. Her head spun dizzyingly and her body felt like a weight that was too heavy for her to lift. She lent against a wall to try and ease her buckling knees. _What the hell? One blow to the head and your a quivering wreck_.

Carter took a moment to scan her surroundings. It was dark. Really dark, the black mist of the small cell coiling around her body possessively, pulling tight, dragging her away from the small flicker of light that seeped through the humid air from the overhanging bulb. She shifted hr gaze around the room, it was almost empty - a lone bed leaning against the wall in the corner, steel bolted to the floor to prevent any...Her eyes moved again, scanning the walls, looking for any possible means of escape. Nothing, Shit.

Anything and everything that could have been used as a possible weapon was secured by chains, or bolts, or anything to keep it in place. Even the light bulb was covered in a sheet of thin metal barbing. _Gee, these guys must have been deprived_. Carter thought to herself, breathing in the overpowering stench of death that lingered in the midnight air. She said to herself as she walked over to the wall, tracing her fingers over the rough stone, it felt like daggers on her skin. She traced the sides of the room when suddenly her fingers came into contact with something cool and smooth. Metal. That's the first thought that came to mind - breathing deeply, she pressed her fingers against it. Locks. More important, open locks - and a handle. Moving quickly, she took it in her hand, a loud churning noise echoing through the air as she attempted to turn the handle. _What the fu - _She whispered to herself, the door wouldn't open and as the noise grew louder, she became aware of the locks sliding into place. Locking her in. "OK, now someone's gonna pay." She told the sealed exit, backing away from the door, the sound of chains flowed through the room, lingering sensations of anticipation filling her clouded mind

Swiftly she turned to face the opposite wall - loud, incessant grinding noises echoing from that direction, the sound of metal on metal. It struck her as odd. "What the fuck is going on here? If somebody doesn't-"The flicker of motion she vaguely noticed cut her off. The door, sliding open slowly, revealing a figure with a mop of snow shock hair.

Eyes of fractured ice blue met ones of misted umber gold. Seconds past and then minutes, neither girl nor man were willing to back down.

Finally. The eyes of umber turned to survey the cell. Carter felt a glimmer of triumph. _You're getting excited because you won a staring competition with some strange guy? Hello... this is the voice of reason Carter! You are locked up! So get some perspective._

"Where the hell am I?" Carter asked, voice surprisingly neutral. "And who are you?"

The man swept his gaze back to the raven-haired girl. "My name is Saben Wing, Miss Blake, and you location at this point in time is unimportant."

A flash of anger. "Like hell it is! I think -"Carter began.

The guy Saben interrupted abruptly. "Your mother and sister have been taken care of."

A sinking fear balled up through her mind. "Taken care of?" She asked, her voice verging close to hysterics. Carter looked at the man dressed in white slacks and Chinese tunic, dumbly.

He seemed to understand her expression. "Oh, there's no need for alarm. Not yet anyway." He confided.

Warm relief and then..."What do you mean not yet?" Carter said, sizing him up. He had about five inches on her five foot seven stature and judging from his increased size and pumped biceps sixty pounds on her weight. Not exactly a fair match. But then again they never were.

Saben tried to circle her but Carter refused to give him her back and turned with him. He halted in the exact same spot he had started in. And Carter could tell by the fluid movements that he was definitely a fighter. "They're safe and sound in their bed right now. But unless you accept what my Lord offers, I may not be able to ensure their safety."

Carter listened to the words and the meaning was very clear. _Accept the offer or my family dies._

"You son of a -"

Saben held up a hand. "Let's see if we can skip the little melodramatic fit and go straight to - 'this wasn't my idea!"

"Then who - "

"None of your concern."

"The fuck it is!"

"What have I told you about hysterics?"

"I'm not hysterical! I'm pissed off!" Carter spat out through clenched teeth.

Saben ignored the outburst and proceeded to explain the 'offer'. "Train with The Order of Insignia, give your allegiance, loyalty and absolute fealty to our Lord, and not only will you have a secure residence, enhanced abilities and three square meals a day, we won't have to kill your family." He paused to gauge her reaction.

"Some offer!" Carter quipped, then something dawned on her, quite a few things actually. "Why me?"

He gave her a measured look. "We heard of your defeat of one of our Initiates. You were then observed, and it was decided that instead of just killing a troublesome half-breed, you would be much more valuable to our Lord Insignit as a resource."

"So those guys outside the warehouse..."She said, thinking allowed.

"They were there to judge whether you would be useful to us." Saben finished for her.

Carter remembered his mention of half-breed. "What do you mean half-breed?"

Saben looked at her sharply. "Yes, they said you didn't know of your true heritage." He said, more to himself than the confused girl. Carter guessed he meant Tivon, Callum and Brennan. She snapped her attention back to Saben as he continued to talk. "You're half witch, half vampire, Miss Blake"

"WHAT!" The involuntary word escaped her lips in a shout. Then she remembered Rudolphs jibes about her not being human. "But I don't drink blood." She added in a more meek tone.

"We know not what your parentage is. Nor do we know how your biological make up sustains haemoglobin. But it can be found out if you choose to accept." Saben informed her, looking at her once again with a sharp stare.

Carter suddenly found the flickering light very interesting. What choice did she have. These guys meant business. And they certainly weren't human. She couldn't pretend that werewolves weren't real and she was just hallucinating, not when she had seen such obvious evidence in the last few days.

"Well Miss Blake, Yes or No? Saben asked, voice expectant.

She looked at him once and nodded. _Yes._

He came forward clasped her arm up to the elbow with his hand in a greeting gesture. "Welcome to the Night World."

Carter thought to ask what this Night World was, but she figured she'd have enough time to ask questions later. Right now, she just wanted to crawl into a nice warm bed and forget.

After all, It had been a rude awakening.


	13. Chapter 13

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J u L i A n

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Puppy power!

The yawning halls echoed his footsteps. The cold stone seemed to weigh down on him, despite the emptiness around him. He moved slowly, weaving his way across the ebony lacquered floor. He stilled as two figures spilled from a nearby corridor. They grappled as Julian watched on with raised eyebrows. He recognised the male of the fight to be the failure. The female must be new. _Wonderful powers of deduction Julian,_ he berated himself.

He started laughing as Dimitri went flying into the wall with a force that shook the candelabras above, She, the thrower of Dimitri cheered to herself. "Puppy power!"

Julian raised an eyebrow. "Quoting Scooby Doo, you're my kind of girl."

Carter turned to him, exhilaration still shining on her face. "Someone else who watches T.V!" She clapped her hands together, sarcastic.

"Julian Namir," he greeted, extending a tanned hand.

She cautiously took it. "Carter Blake." Her brow crinkled, "Namir...Callum..."

"Ahh...so you know my brother..."Julian grinned.

"Don't worry. I won't hold it against you." Carter replied, a smile tingeing her lips.

Julians smile grew. "He is a bit of a heartless bastard."

"I noticed." Carter's expression darkened slightly. "He's the bastard who knocked me out so they could bring me here."

"Ouch. What can I say...people in our family are reared to be assassins."

"Sounds like a safe home environment." Carter remarked.

"Yeah..."They stood and looked at each other. "How long have you been here?"

"A day, I think. I've been unconscious. Then when I woke up this Saben guy brought me this uniform." She motioned to the white karate ensemble before continuing. "And directed me this way." Breath. "Then ran into him." She gave a disgusted look to the Dimitri heap.

"Ah yes. You'll be glad to know that we get a different uniform for academic lessons."

"We have to do lessons? I was hoping that now I'd been forced into the assassin career I was free from the High school system..."

Julian gave a sympathetic nod. "If it's any consolation they aren't necessarily what you'd call an ordinary lessons. Not the kind you'd find in high school anyway."

"No more Trig..." Carter said, almost dreamily.

Julian looked slightly apologetic. "We have to do maths. I was talking about Potions, Poisons and Plants, magical protections, Tactics and Strategy..."

"Wow." Was her unenthusiastic reply. "I can tell I'm just going to love that."

"Never mind." Julian patted her on the shoulder in companion fashion. "We'll pull you through."

Dimitri groaned, interrupting their bonding. Julian shot him a contemptuous look. He tugged on Carter's shoulder. "This way to swords. That's Sabens' class..."

"Swords..."Carter almost cooed.

Julian's laughter removed the forgotten void above before fading.

Tamashii: :P 

Twistedangel06: thank you. 

AN: interlude chapter thingy…


	14. Chapter 14

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C a R t E r

__

Choose your torture.

The sun, coming through the crack in the shutters seared into her eyes. As it always did. She rolled over and stretched, gazing at the now cracked plaster of her rooms ceiling. She'd gotten a little over enthusiastic with the dagger she kept under her pillow last night... Just because she was amongst family didn't mean they wouldn't try to stab her in the back the first chance they got.

__

Great family, she grumped to herself. Well, at least they didn't bother with guilt trips. She reflected idly on the possible antics of her 'before' family, wondering where they were and what they were doing... She shook it off and slid out of bed to glare at the shattered mirror beside the door. It had received the brunt of her anger last night after her humiliation in her Deception and Deceit class.

Her distorted reflection stared back at her, fragmented in little emotionless shards that seemed to dig into her skin despite the lack of touch. Her shimmered in the broken glass, light sapphire blue eyes glaring back at her like shattered ice pools. Her long, ebony hair hung down past her shoulders, caressing her pale skin with ghost like fingers. Her pale rose petal lips curved down into a half - hearted frown - empty shadows blanketing her face. She stepped back from the glass, tearing her eyes away from her own disbelieving glance.

She'd have to place an order for a new mirror. They should give her stress balls or maybe she should just use Dimitri. Either way she needed something. "Ten years in this place..." She shook her head minutely, pulling on her training uniform. It made her look sallow, not that it mattered, she'd looked sallow since arriving here.

There was no need to check her schedule, but she did it anyway. "Breakfast, washing, swordplay, martial arts, archery and staff, lunch, academics." She read each class in a whisper, voice trailing of as she came to the end. She may have been a resident at Insignia for a decade, but Julian still had to drag her to afternoon lessons. It was just like High School. _Only minus the extremely...weird lessons,_ she told herself with brittle cheer.

She left the room, bed unmade, books piled on top of a plain desk and door hanging off the closet. Unlike, parents or guardians the Instructors in Insignia weren't pretty bothered with the little trivialities of tidiness. Carter yawned, winding her way through the castles many hallways to her partner in crimes' room.

She entered without knocking, and eyed the snoring bundle in the bed with curiosity. How to wake him this morning? Lift the mattress? Steal his sheets? Pour water on him? Hit him? Choose your torture! Carter chose the latter, and was rewarded with a sleepy "What the hell?"

"Get up Namir! Or we'll be late." Carter retorted.

Julian flopped back onto the bed, groaning. "But I was having a really good dream. Sarah Michelle Geller and SPANDEX!" He mused to himself dreamily.

Carter gave him a wicked grin. "If it helps you could imagine Master Saben in spandex."

Julian gave her a disgusted look before shaking his head. "You've ruined any possible dreams I would have had about spandex. I'm never going to forgive you!"

Carter chuckled. "I know, now are you going to move your furry ass!"

He made a non-committal noise and pulled the sheets over his head, Carter grabbed the bottom of the bedspread and yanked it down. Tug of War, and they both knew who would be the victor. "Come on Julian, I don't wanna miss breakfast." Carter confessed. Holding his sheets to his chest Julian made another noise, only this time it was more frustrated. "Oh come on, I'll rock paper scissors you for it."

Julian pulled himself back up into a sitting position, an unimpressed expression on his well defined face. "Okay!" He answered reluctantly extending his fist.

"One...two...three..."Julian glared as Carters' paper beat his rock.

"Why do I even agree? You always beat me at this game anyway?"

"You can tell what you're gonna choose from the look in your eyes." Carter informed him, smiling.

"Guess I should try it with my eyes closed." They both shrugged agreement to each other.

"One...two...three..."Carter looked down at Julians' fist. "That is one deformed looking rock." She commented.

Julian looked down at his fist mournfully. "It was supposed to be scissors."

"Hah!" Carter whooped. "I win!"

Julian looked annoyed at himself. "Would it matter if I said I wanted to change my mind." Carters glare pried him off the bed and toward his closet. "You're heartless Blake, very heartless." He told her pulling his uniform on over his boxers after wagging an accusatory finger at her.

Carter didn't miss a beat, she smiled. "I know, but that's why you love me!"

Julian gave her a filthy look. "Who said love had anything to do with it?"

Carter started her way out of the door waving a chiding hand at him. "Now, remember Julian Namir, in Insignia we are all one loving family..."

"They never told me that!"

"Lucky bastard, missing the pep talk."

Julian gave her a mournful stare. "I always miss out."

They joined in the flow of others in the monotonous white uniforms causing a wave of assassins and uninitiates heading for breakfast. The clamour of voices with muffled groans as people were tripped and shoved, swarming into the gigantic cavernous room

Breakfast as usual. 

AN: Next chapter: action

Julian: *clutches heart* I'm wounded, really wounded. I could be mean if you want me to… *attempts mean* *sees red and runs for it*

And thank you reviewers. All two of you. :-D 


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